Thankfully, the Barbados Sea Turtle Project( BSTP) has been working diligently over the past 25 years to protect sea turtles and restore their population. Through collective efforts with WIDECAST, the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, the volunteers and UWI( University of the West Indies) students of BSTP operate a community-involved program in pursuit of BSTP ´ s vision to ¨restore local marine turtle populations to levels at which they can fulfill their ecological roles¨. The program includes the operation of a marine tagging centre that tracks turtle numbers for research, a 24-hr emergency hotline number, mobile beach patrols to monitor nest sites and recover disoriented hatchlings, and public education / outreach initiatives. Through its work, the BSTP has been involved in documentaries for the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Company, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, the Discovery Channel, and numerous TV internet sites.
Video
I had no idea that the tiny beings scampering before my very eyes were part of a larger interesting, yet desperate, story. Each one represented odds that had been overcome and staggering new ones to conquer; each one ´ s tumultuous life journey was aptly captivated by its zig-zagged path to the water. As the waves swiftly gathered the turtles in their embrace, my mind drifted to the memory of a beautiful sea turtle meandering peacefully through the water on my most recent catamaran cruise: this one had made it! What a journey it had travelled to be able to grace me with its presence! What a show of resilience! I could only hope fervently that these hatchlings would be similarly lucky enough to complete their life experiences and bless others with the knowledge of their existence.
** Reference – Barbados Sea Turtle Project
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